Yale University English Department

In a Jan. 17 message to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences community, FAS Dean Tamar Gendler announced Marc Robinson’s appointment as the next FAS dean of humanities.

Robinson — a prize-winning drama historian and scholar — will serve a five-year term, succeeding Kathryn Lofton, the current FAS Dean of Humanities. A committee of faculty headed by Joanne Meyerowitz, a professor of history and American studies, began its selection process last fall.

Robinson has previously held other administrative positions at Yale — serving as the chair of the Theater, Dance and Performance Studies program as well as acting chair of the English Department — but his role as FAS Dean of Humanities presents the opportunity to work on a larger scale.

“I am eager to gain a panoramic perspective on subjects that before I’ve understood only in the context of one relatively small program and one vast department,” he wrote to the News.

When Robinson assumes the position on July 1, Lofton will resume her role as a professor of religious studies and American studies.

Lofton, who was appointed in February 2020, expressed her confidence in Professor Robinson’s appointment and emphasized his commitment to leadership in the humanities.

“Professor Robinson is an astute and deeply humane leader who thinks about scholars and scholarship with the same level of perception he thinks about drama and dramatists,” she wrote to the News.

During her time as dean, Lofton oversaw the division through times of transition, as well as large development projects. In her job, she oversaw the opening of the Humanities Quadrangle at 320 York St. in 2020, consolidating two-thirds of the humanities departments into a single building.

Robinson also expressed admiration for Lofton, praising the work of his predecessor.

“All 27 departments and programs in this division are stronger thanks to [Kathryn Lofton’s] stewardship,” Robinson wrote to the News. “I aim to maintain that strength by supporting my faculty colleagues in every aspect of their work, and by helping to attract pathbreaking new scholars and artists to our ranks.”

Robinson began teaching at Yale in 1993 as an adjunct assistant professor of theater studies and drama. Since then, he has participated in several committees ranging from the University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct to the FAS Creative Arts Advisory Committee.

Robinson has also published and edited acclaimed criticisms and studies of theater, including “The Other American Drama” and “The American Play.”

Robinson told the News about the process leading to his appointment, which involved interviews with divisional deans, the deans of Yale College and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University Provost Scott Strobel and FAS Dean Tamar Gendler.

In an email to the News, Robinson praised his colleagues on their lively teaching and rigorous research.

“I hope to ensure that faculty have the resources and the freedom to continue creating the knowledge they share with students,” he wrote.

As dean of humanities, Robinson will oversee hiring, including recruitment and retention. He will also be responsible for managing faculty lifecycle issues, including tenure, promotion and retirement.

In addition to his daily responsibilities, Robinson will sit on several committees, including the FAS Steering Committee, which oversees FAS policy matters, and the Faculty Resource Committee, which oversees FAS faculty searches. 

Robinson will report to FAS Dean Tamar Gendler. 

“[Robinson] has a deep and nuanced understanding of the workings of the University and the needs of Yale faculty and students,” Gendler wrote to the News. “He is a scholar of incredible intellectual breadth and vision. I am excited to see the FAS Humanities division continue to thrive under his leadership.”

Robinson’s term will last until 2029.